Catalyst manufacturing method

ABSTRACT

A method for producing a catalyst using an additive layer method includes:
         (i) forming a layer of a powdered catalyst or catalyst support material,   (ii) binding or fusing the powder in said layer according to a predetermined pattern,   (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) layer upon layer to form a shaped unit, and   (iv) optionally applying a catalytic material to said shaped unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 14/803,431, filed Jul. 20, 2015 which claims priority to U.S.application Ser. No. 13/821,443, filed May 20, 2013 which is a U.S.National Phase application of PCT International Application No.PCT/GB2011/051582, filed Aug. 22, 2011, and claims priority of BritishPatent Application No. 1014950.8, filed Sep. 8, 2010, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for allpurposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the manufacture of catalysts by additive layermanufacturing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heterogeneous catalysts are typically manufactured by pelleting,extruding or granulating a powdered catalytic metal compound followed bya calcination, and/or optionally a reduction stage. Alternatively,catalyst supports formed by pelleting or extruding catalytically inertmaterials may be impregnated with solutions of catalyst compounds anddried prior to the calcination and/or reduction stages. The pelleting,extrusion and granulating methods while effective, offer limitedvariability in catalyst geometry and physical properties.

Additive layer manufacturing (ALM) is a technique whereby 2-dimensionallayers of powdered materials are sequentially laid down and fused orbound together to form 3-dimensional solid objects. The technique hasbeen developed for the fabrication of metal and ceramic components foruse in aerospace and medical applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

ALM offers the possibility to produce catalyst structures with complexgeometries and properties not possible with conventional formingtechniques.

Accordingly the invention provides a method for producing a catalystusing an additive layer method comprising:

-   -   (i) forming a layer of a powdered catalyst or catalyst support        material,    -   (ii) binding or fusing the powder in said layer according to a        predetermined pattern,    -   (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) layer upon layer to form a shaped        unit, and    -   (iv) optionally applying a catalytic material to said shaped        unit.

The invention further provides a catalyst obtainable by the above methodand the use of the catalysts in catalytic reactions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further illustrated by reference to the Figures inwhich;

FIG. 1 depicts a wire-frame catalyst structure obtainable by the methodof the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an image of a laser-sintered alumina catalyst support with thedodecahedral framework structure of FIG. 1 prepared by the method of thepresent invention, and

FIG. 3 is an image of a calcined 3D-printed aluminosilicate catalystsupport in the form of a tetrahedral framework prepared by the method ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The ALM technique offers major improvements in catalyst performance anda new range of design options including increased geometric surface areato volume ratio, lower specific mass to volume, controlled poregeometry, controlled gas/fluid flow paths, controlled gas/fluidturbulence, controlled gas/fluid residence times, enhanced packing,controlled thermal mass, controlled heat transfer, controlled heatlosses, and also higher conversion efficiency and better catalyticselectivity.

The ALM method, which is also known as layer manufacturing, constructivemanufacturing, generative manufacturing, direct digital manufacturing,freeform fabrication, solid freeform fabrication or fabbing may beapplied to catalyst design using known techniques. In all cases, the ALMprocesses are enabled by conventional 3D design computer packages thatallow design of the shaped unit as a so-called, “STL file”, which is asimple mesh depiction of the 3D shape. The STL file is dissected usingthe design software into multiple two-dimensional layers, which are thebasis for the fabrication process. The fabrication equipment, readingthe two-dimensional pattern, then sequentially deposits layer upon layerof powder material corresponding to the 2D slices. In order that theshaped unit has structural integrity, the powder material is bound orfused together as the layers are deposited. The process of layerdeposition and binding or fusion is repeated until a robust shaped unitis generated. The un-bound or un-fused powder is readily separated fromthe shaped unit, e.g. by gravity or blowing.

A number of ALM binding and fusion fabrication techniques are available,notably 3D printing and laser sintering techniques. Any of thetechniques may however be used.

In laser sintering, the process comprises three steps in which a thinlayer of powder material is initially applied to a base plate using ablade, roller, or moving hopper. The thickness of the layer iscontrolled. Laser radiation is applied in two dimensions to fuse thelayer. The laser position is controlled, e.g. using galvanometermirrors, according to the desired pattern. After the layer is fused, theplate on which the layer rests is moved downwards by the thickness ofone layer and a fresh layer of powders screened over the fused later.The procedure is repeated thus producing the shaped unit in threedimensions. After the shape is formed, the un-fused powder is separatedfrom the shaped unit simply by gravity or by blowing it away.

Direct laser sintering performs the process at elevated temperatureusing a solid state fibre laser. Such a system is commercially availablefrom Phenix Systems, for example as described in WO 2005002764.

An alternative approach is to use a powder material with a polymericcoating or a composition comprising a powder material and a polymericbinder. In this case, the laser acts to melt the binder. This techniquehas the advantage that the laser power may be considerably lower thanthe fusion method laser. Polymeric coating technology is availablecommercially from EOS GmbH.

A further alternative, known as stereolithography, uses the powder as adispersion in a monomer, which acts as a binder when it is “cured” inlayers by photopolymerisation using a UV laser. The powder material maybe up to about 60% by volume in the monomer. Suitable equipment forperforming this process is available commercially from CeramPilot.

In these methods, but particularly the latter, the shaped unit may besubjected to a subsequent heat treatment, which may be carried out toburn out and remove any polymeric binder and/or alter the physiochemicalproperties of the shaped unit, such as its strength.

As an alternative to laser sintering or stereolithography, the ALMmethod may be based on printing of a binder onto the powdered materialwith or without subsequent heating. Generally this method uses amultiple array ink-jet printing head to spray a layer of a liquid binderon the powder layer to hold the particles together. The support platemoves down in the same manner as previously and again the procedure isrepeated building up the shaped unit as before. The layers in this casemay be in the range 0.02 to 5.0 mm thick. Subsequent heat treatment iscommonly applied to remove the binder. Suitable equipment for performingthis process is available commercially from the Z-Corporation in theUSA.

The catalyst shaped units produced by the ALM method may be particulatewith a cross-sectional size in the range 1-50 mm or the shaped units maybe in the form of monoliths, e.g. honeycombs, with cross sections in therange 1004000 mm. The aspect ratio, i.e. length/width, for theparticulate shaped units or monolithic shaped units may be in the range0.5 to 5.

There is almost no limit to the geometry of the catalyst shaped unitsthat may be fabricated using the ALM technique. The complexity may rangefrom skeletal frame and lattice or lace work structures tomulti-featured and facetted robust structures.

For example, the shaped unit may be in the form of wire-frame orskeletal framework structures containing a void space within and whichmay have multiple internal strengthening rods, or the shaped unit may bea honeycomb in any form or a solid unit, such as a cylinder, which maybe configured with domed ends, multiple lobes, and/or through holes.

Skeletal framework structures are preferred and may comprise 3 or moreopen faces which may be trigonal, square, pentagonal, or anotherpolygonal shape. The resulting structures may therefore be tetrahedral,pentahedral (pyramidal), hexahedral (cubic or square antiprism),heptahedral, octahedral, nonahedral, decahedral, dodecahedral,icosahedral, and so on. The skeletal structures may also be linked byexternal rods to create 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional structures.

Preferably the shaped units comprise one or more through holes, whichmay be circular, ellipsoid, or polygonal, e.g. triangular, square,rectangular, or hexagonal, in cross section. The through holes maycomprise two or more through holes running parallel, or non-parallelholes running through the shaped unit at various angles, to thelongitudinal axis of the shaped unit. Through holes that are curved mayalso be produced using the ALM technique, which is currently notpossible using conventional pelleting and extrusion techniques.

The shaped units may be prepared from a catalytic material, or may beprepared from a non-catalytic support material and coated with acatalytic material, to provide a catalyst. More than one catalyticmaterial may be applied to the support in single or multipleapplications. If desired, a shaped unit prepared from a catalyticmaterial may be further coated with the same or a different catalyticmaterial.

In one embodiment, the powdered material is a catalyst powder. Thecatalyst powder may comprise a metal powder or powdered metal compound.Preferably, the catalyst powder comprises one or more metals or metalcompounds containing metals selected from the group consisting of Na, K,Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo,Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Pb, or Ce.

Where the catalyst powder is a metal powder, preferably the catalystpowder comprises a precious metal catalyst powder, e.g. comprising oneor more of Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, Re, optionally mixed with one or moretransition metals.

Where the catalyst powder is a powdered metal compound, preferably thecatalyst powder comprises one or more transition metal compounds,including lanthanide metal compounds and actinide metal compounds. Thetransition metal compounds may be a metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metalcarbonate, metal hydroxycarbonate, or mixture thereof. Transition metaloxides may comprise a single or mixed metal oxide such as a spinel orperovskite, or a composition comprising two or more transition metaloxides.

The catalyst powder may further comprise one or more powdered inertmaterials such as alumina, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide,carbon, and mixtures thereof. Ceramics such as cordierite may also bepresent.

Alternatively, the catalyst powder may comprise a zeolite.

In an alternative embodiment, the powdered material is a catalystsupport powder and the method comprises applying a catalytic material tosaid shaped unit. The catalyst support powder may comprise one or moreinert materials such as alumina, silica, silicon nitride, siliconcarbide, carbon, and mixtures thereof. A conventional ceramic catalystsupport may also be used. The catalyst support powder may also compriseone or more transition metal compounds, including lanthanide metalcompounds and actinide metal compounds, selected from metal oxides,metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, metal hydroxycarbonates, or mixturesthereof. The transition metal compound may comprise a single or mixedmetal oxide or a composition comprising two or more transition metaloxides. Preferably, the catalyst support powder comprises an alumina,metal-aluminate, silica, alumino-silicate, titania, zirconia, zincoxide, or a mixture thereof.

Alternatively, the catalyst support powder may be a metal powder, suchas a precious metal powder or a non-precious metal powder such as aferritic alloy or steel powder.

Alternatively, the catalyst support powder may comprise a zeolite.

The catalytic material applied to the shaped unit may comprise a metal,metal compound or a zeolite.

Catalytic metals may be applied to the shaped unit by metal vapordeposition. Alternatively, the metal, metal compound, or zeolite may beapplied to the shaped unit from a solution or dispersion of the metal,metal compound, or zeolite. Particularly suitable metal compounds forapplication from solution are water-soluble salts such as metalnitrates, metal acetates, formates, or oxalates.

Metal or metal compounds that may be applied to the shaped catalystsupport unit preferably comprise one or more metals selected from thegroup consisting of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co,Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir,Pt, Au, Pb, or Ce.

The ALM method utilizes a powdered material. The material may be formedas a powder or the material may be converted to powders using varioustechniques, or example spray drying. Spray drying has the advantage thatmixtures of different powder materials may be made, or binder materialsapplied or free-flowing powders prepared.

Howsoever the powdered materials are prepared, the powdered materialpreferably has an average particle size, D₅₀, in the range 1 to 200micrometres.

The additive layer manufacturing method preferably comprises a 3Dprinting or a laser sintering technique. Thus in one embodiment, thepowder in each layer is fused by a laser. In another embodiment, thepowder in each layer is bound together with a binder, which may be aninorganic binder such as a calcium aluminate cement or an organicbinder, such as a phenolic polymer cellulose, gum, or polysaccharidebinder.

A burnout additive may be included in the catalyst powder or binder tocontrol the porosity of the resulting shaped unit.

Howsoever the shaped unit is formed it may be desirable to subject it toa subsequent heating step, which may be performed to burn out organicmaterials such as binders or pore-modifying materials, and/or modify thephysiochemical properties, e.g. convert non-oxidic metal compounds intothe corresponding metal oxides and/or fuse the powdered material. Theheating step may be performed at a maximum temperature in the range 300to 1400° C., preferably 500 to 1200° C.

Where the shaped unit comprises one or more reducible metal compounds,the shaped unit may be subjected to a reduction step to convert themetal compounds to the corresponding metals. This may be performeddirectly on the shaped unit without a prior heating step, or may beperformed after a heating step, to convert reducible metal oxides to thecorresponding metals. The reduction may be achieved by exposing theshaped unit to a hydrogen-containing gas stream at a temperature in therange 150 to 800° C., preferably 150 to 600° C.

Catalysts comprising reduced metals may be pyrophoric and so it isdesirable that the reduced metal in the shaped unit is passivated bycontrolled exposure of the shaped unit to an oxygen-containing gasstream to form a passivating layer on said reduced metal.

The invention includes a catalyst prepared using an ALM method.

The catalysts prepared using the ALM method are suitable for use in anycatalytic process, in which a reactant mixture is contacted with thecatalyst shaped unit under conditions to effect a catalysed reaction.Alternatively the shaped units may be used in a sorption process tocatalytically remove substances from a process fluid, which may be aliquid or a gas.

The catalysed reaction may be selected from hydroprocessing includinghydrodesulphurisation, a hydrogenation, steam reforming includingpre-reforming, catalytic steam reforming, autothermal reforming andsecondary reforming and reforming processes used for the directreduction of iron, catalytic partial oxidation, a water-gas shiftincluding isothermal-shift, sour shift, low-temperature shift,intermediate temperature shift, medium temperature shift and hightemperature shift reactions, a methanation, a hydrocarbon synthesis bythe Fischer-Tropsch reaction, methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis,ammonia oxidation and nitrous oxide decomposition reactions, orselective oxidation or reduction reactions of internal combustion engineor power station exhaust gases.

The ALM method is particularly suitable for manufacturing particulatecatalysts for ammonia oxidation and steam reforming and for themonolithic catalysts for the selective oxidation and reduction ofcomponents of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines or powerstations.

The sorption process may be a sorption selected from the recovery ofsulphur compounds or heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic fromcontaminated gaseous or liquid fluid streams or particulate matter fromthe exhaust gases of internal combustion engines and power stations. Inparticular, the method may be applied to manufacture honeycomb-typemonolithic structures known as catalytic soot filters.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a “wire-frame” catalyst structure is depictedcomprising twelve pentagonal faces with twelve internal “rods”,connected at the centre of the structure. Such a structure cannot bemanufactured using conventional pelleting, extrusion, or granulationtechniques.

EXAMPLES

The invention is further illustrated by reference to the followingExamples.

Example 1

A wire-frame ammonia oxidation catalyst according to the depiction inFIG. 1 was compared with a commercially available pelleted ammoniaoxidation catalyst.

The active area in the shaped unit according to FIG. 1 is approximately545 mm². The shape volume is approximately 135 mm³. The filled volume isestimated at approximately 90 mm³.

On this basis, it is predicted that the same conversion efficiency maybe provided, under the same operating conditions, by 15-16% of thenumber of conventional pellets.

Example 2

The dodecahedral frame structure of FIG. 2 was prepared from aluminausing a Phenix Systems PX series laser sintering machine. Un-modifiedalumina powder of approximately 10 microns average size was employed andthe build was accomplished using steps of approximately 100 microns,with compression of each new powder layer prior to laser melting. A 300W fiber laser was used to melt the alumina along the tracks driven bythe standard software. As built the parts were fragile and were removedfrom the powder bed with care. Increased strength may be achieved bypost-build sintering at a temperatures up to about 1800° C.

Example 3

“3D-Printing” of the alumina-silica tetrahedral shapes of FIG. 3 wasachieved using a Z-Corp 3D printer and standard commercial bondingmedia. The powder of approximately 30 micron median particle size wasprinted at 100 micron steps using routine processing conditions. Thegreen structures produced were fired to approximately 1000° C. using aslow ramp up of temperature over approximately 8 hours to allow thebonding agent to burn off and the components to densify (shrink) withoutloss of integrity. On completion, a quantity of 3D shapes had beenmanufactured that were sufficiently strong to withstand catalystcoating.

What is claimed:
 1. A method for producing a catalyst using an additivelayer method comprising: (i) forming a layer of a powdered catalyst orcatalyst support material, (ii) binding or fusing the powder in saidlayer according to a predetermined pattern, (iii) repeating (i) and (ii)layer upon layer to form a shaped unit, and (iv) optionally applying acatalytic material to said shaped unit.
 2. A method according to claim 1wherein the powdered material is a catalyst powder.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a metalpowder or a powdered metal compound.
 4. A method according to claim 2wherein the catalyst powder comprises one or more metals or metalcompounds containing metals selected from the group consisting of Na, K,Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo,Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Pb, or Ce.
 5. Amethod according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises aprecious metal catalyst powder, comprising one or more of Pt, Pd, Ir, Ruor Re.
 6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powdercomprises a transition metal compound selected from a metal oxide, metalhydroxide, metal carbonate, metal hydroxycarbonate or mixture thereof.7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the transition metal oxidecomprises a single or mixed metal oxide or a composition comprising twoor more transition metal oxides.
 8. A method according to claim 2wherein the catalyst powder further comprises one or more inertmaterials.
 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the inert materialsare selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, siliconnitride, silicon carbide, carbon and mixtures thereof.
 10. A methodaccording to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a zeolite.11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the powdered material is acatalyst support powder and the method comprises applying a catalyticmaterial to said shaped unit.
 12. A method according to claim 11 whereinthe catalyst support powder comprises one or more inert materials.
 13. Amethod according to claim 12 wherein the inert materials are selectedfrom the group consisting of alumina, silica, silicon nitride, siliconcarbide, carbon and mixtures thereof.
 14. A method according to claim 11wherein the catalyst support powder comprises one or more transitionmetal compounds, including lanthanide metal compounds and actinide metalcompounds, selected from one or more metal oxides, metal hydroxides,metal carbonates, metal hydroxycarbonates or mixture thereof.
 15. Amethod according to claim 14 wherein the transition metal compoundcomprises a single or mixed metal oxide or a composition comprising twoor more transition metal oxides.
 16. A method according to claim 12wherein the catalyst support powder comprises an alumina,metal-aluminate, silica, alumino-silicate, titanic, zirconia, zincoxide, or a mixture thereof.
 17. A method according to claim 11 whereinthe catalyst support powder comprises a metal powder.
 18. A methodaccording to claim 17 wherein the metal powder comprises a preciousmetal powder or a non-precious metal powder.
 19. A method according toclaim 18 wherein the non-precious metal powder comprises a ferriticalloy or steel.
 20. A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalystsupport powder comprises a zeolite.
 21. A method according to claim 11wherein the catalytic material applied to the shaped unit comprises ametal, metal compound or a zeolite.
 22. A method according to claim 21wherein the metal is applied to the shaped unit by metal vapourdeposition.
 23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the metal, metalcompound or zeolite is applied to the shaped unit from a solution ordispersion of the metal, metal compound or zeolite.
 24. A methodaccording to claim 22 wherein the metal or metal compound comprises oneor more metals selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba,Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd,Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Pb, or Ce.
 25. A method accordingto claim 1 wherein the powdered material has an average particle size,D₅₀, in the range 1 to 200 micrometres.
 26. A method according to claim1 wherein the additive layer method comprises a 3D printing, astereolithographic or a laser sintering technique.
 27. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the powder in each layer is fused by alaser.
 28. A method according to claim 1 wherein the powder in eachlayer is bound together with a binder.
 29. A method according to claim28 wherein the binder is an inorganic binder or an organic binder.
 30. Amethod according to claim 28 wherein a burnout additive is included inthe catalyst powder or binder to control the porosity of the resultingshaped unit.
 31. A method according to claim 1 wherein the shaped unitis subjected to a heating step.
 32. A method according to claim 1wherein the shaped unit, comprising one or more reducible metalcompounds, is subjected to a reduction step.
 33. A method according toclaim 32 wherein the reducing step is performed by exposing the shapedunit to a hydrogen-containing gas stream at a temperature in the range150 to 800° C.
 34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the reducedmetal in the shaped unit is passivated by controlled exposure of theshaped unit to an oxygen-containing gas stream to form a passivatinglayer on said reduced metal.
 35. A method according to claim 1 whereinthe shaped unit is a wireframe structure or a skeletal frameworkcontaining a void space within which may have multiple internalstrengthening rods.
 36. A catalyst obtained by the method of claim 1.37. A process using a catalyst according to claim 36 comprisingcontacting a reactant mixture with the catalyst shaped unit underconditions to effect a catalysed reaction or sorption.
 38. A processaccording to claim 37 comprising a catalysed reaction selected fromhydroprocessing including hydrodesulphurisation, a hydrogenation, steamreforming including pre-reforming, catalytic steam reforming,autothermal reforming and secondary reforming and reforming processesused for the direct reduction of iron, catalytic partial oxidation, awater-gas shift including isothermal-shift, sour shift, low-temperatureshift, intermediate temperature shift, medium temperature shift and hightemperature shift reactions, a methanation, a hydrocarbon synthesis bythe Fischer-Tropsch reaction, methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis,ammonia oxidation and nitrous oxide decomposition reactions, orselective oxidation or reduction reactions of internal combustion engineor power station exhaust gases.
 39. A process according to claim 37comprising a sorption selected from the recovery of sulphur compounds orheavy metals such as mercury and arsenic from contaminated gaseous orliquid fluid streams, or particulate matter from the exhaust gases ofinternal combustion engines or power stations.